The Kiira Draknin Story
by Faermage-KH Junkie
Summary: Kayra is a normal girl, blissfully unaware of the other worlds. A goth and an outcast, she lives her life relatively in peace. Then a new girl enters her school, with silver hair and different colored eyes, and Kayra's life changes forever. T. Chap 6 up!
1. Chapter 1: Kiira

I knew the moment she walked in, with her long black trench and her hair dyed silver and the determined look in her eyes we were going to be friends. I saw her looking at everyone in the room, scanning them, measuring them with an expert eye. Her eyes were two different colors, one an icy blue, the other a dark blue-black, and I knew that, like my little gang, she was going to be immediately outcast. The teacher introduced her.

"Class, this is Kiira Draknin. She just moved here from out-of-state, so I want you all to be kind to her." She gave the teacher a 'Yeah-right' look as another girl in the class mumbled something that sounded like, "Where, Czechoslovakia?"

"Got a problem, girl?" asked Kiira, taking a step toward her. "Anyway, my family is Japanese, not Czech." I was impressed. I'd never seen such a small look or action look so threatening. I was definitely going to like her. Especially since she was going to get lumped in with my gang anyway.

My suspicions were confirmed when the teacher said, "Alright, Kiira, there seems to be a seat open next to Kayra. Why don't you sit next to her? Maybe she'll show you around the school." Kiira nodded politely and walked to the desk next to mind.

"Never been to a school where the teachers participated in the labeling," she muttered to herself as she sat next to me. "Lumped in with the goths already."

"Got a problem with that?"

"Not at all. Some of you are more sincere than some of them." She jerked her head at the girls who were pointedly looking away from us. "Think I'm a freak. They always do."

"I think you have an interesting genetic quirk," I replied. "Just because you have two different eyes, that doesn't mean you're an evil practitioner of the Dark Arts." I smiled. "If that were the case, my soul would already be forfeit." One of my eyes is gold. No one has been able to figure out why.

"I can see that," she laughed. "Where I come from, my family is both revered and hated. I'm told that it will change in time, once the others get used to our oddities, but, well…" She shrugged. "Humans have never been very good at tolerance, and I'm a physical reminder of the darkness in our past."

"One black eye is a physical reminder of evil in the past?" I laughed. "Never heard that one before."

"We lived in a small island town. Strange rumors grow there." She looked troubled.

"Girls," said the teacher, "I know whatever you're talking about is much more interesting than the chemical properties of cross-linking in polymers, but I'm sure you don't know everything I'm trying to teach you, so pay attention."

(Rplace with line break)

Later that day, at lunchtime, I led Kiira to the table. "Hey everyone, meet the new student. Guys, this is Kiira." A general murmur of hellos came from around the table. We sat down, and I waved at the girl to my left, a dirty blonde with brown eyes. "Kiira, this is Megan. She's a junior and pretty much the leader of our little group."

"Nice to meet you," she said, and put out a hand for Kiira to shake. Kiira gripped it, a firm handshake much stronger than the one we had shared. Megan stood up to it well, and Kiira smiled. I could tell my older friend had pleased her.

"The boy next to Megan is Kyle," I said. The boy in question was tall, with black hair ad brown eyes. I used hand signs to accompany the gestures, and Kyle waved. "He's more of a conservative than most of our group. He's been shoved in with us because he can't hear." I don't know whether Kyle or I was more surprised when, in perfect American Sign Language, Kiira signed, 'How do you do?' He shook her hand and signed, 'Fine, thanks.'

Across the round table from me was a girl with a book open. Her glasses were on the table next to her and she was trying to read and eat at the same time. "This is Cali," I said. "Cali, say hello."

"Huh?" she said, looking up. "Did you say something? OH! Hi there." She resumed reading. This common occurrence elicited a sigh from Megan and a laugh from Kiira. The last girl had been quiet so far, keeping to the background as usual, though anytime she could take a cloak of authority to use at a moment's notice, and always for good reason. She was powerful, I knew, though in what way, I had no idea. "Last of our little group is Miri," I said. Kiira sharply looked up at the name, and as her eyes met Miri's, they lowered in respect. Then their eyes met again, and Miri nodded slightly, too small a gesture for anyone with less observation to notice. I could sense a stream of information pass between the two girls, then Kiira reached out a hand. "It's very nice to… meet you," she said carefully.

"And I you," Miri replied.

This little display left me completely confused. It was almost like they knew each other, but that was impossible. After all, Kiira was from out of state, and Miri we had known since middle school. An odd girl, she was actually home-schooled, but her mother let her come here to PHS to get the 'social skills' she supposedly needed. Her golden eyes were pretty much stopping her from getting any 'real-world' education in that department. Besides, Miri scared most people. Sometimes she even scared me.

(Replace with line break)

On our way to the final class of the day, Kiira kept muttering to herself and shaking her head. When asked what was wrong, she only said, "It's nothing."

"So, what do you think of my friends?" I asked to change the subject.

"They're really nice. That Miri… has she been here long?"

"At least a year or two. We still don't know a lot about her."

"You and the rest of the worlds," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Is this the room?" she asked, pointing to one of the doors.

"Yep. Good thing we picked the same electives. This is programming."

Mrs. Dumont, the Computer Programming teacher, was a stern woman who also ran the business classes. She reminded me of nothing more than a bank official I had once met when my mother had taken me with her when I was ten. I was wearing all black, and although I looked very nice in my black high-heel boots, sleeveless black shirt with the sheer jacket attached and my tight-cut black and silver pants I could still tell it was a little too goth for her. Mrs. Dumont isn't that straight-laced, but she is extremely proper and entirely organized and in sequence.

The lesson was long and we chatted to pass the time while we worked on the extremely complicated sequences of code. Doesn't sound too smart, but you'd be surprised how much better two heads are than one in the coding business.

Afterward, as we were heading out, Kiira asked, "You take classes from her every day?"

"Every other day. There's a rotation here at PHS, so we have eight classes, every other class every other day. For example, we have Spanish, Math, Science, Social Studies, Computer Programming, Language Arts, and Beginning Guitar. We had Science, LA, Begin Guitar, and Programming today, so tomorrow we'll have SS, Spanish, Math, and a study hall."

"I get it now. That's actually pretty easy."

"Yep. Plus, you get two days to do any homework you have."

"That's a relief," she said, smiling.

After that we went our separate ways. Kiira easily learned the school, with it's confusing halls and strange schedule. She was a fast learner, exhibiting every ounce of that adaptability that allowed our ancestors to go from the trees of Africa to the Ice Age in Europe and eventually across the land bridge here to America. She was special, but I didn't think she was abnormal.

That is, until the new student came. Until my world was turned upside-down.

Until the Discovery.


	2. Chapter 2: Mysteries

Later part of the Kiira Draknin Story

The new student stood before the class, something about him drawing the eyes of everyone in the room. He was gorgeous. His long hair, pulled back, was so blond it was almost white, his eyes were brown, but seemed to flicker with an inner light. Yet something about him was cold, and I could feel the intelligence behind those eyes. The Girls in the Back Row were lost in those eyes, and though his smile was warm, it seemed false. "Kiira," the teacher said. "You've been here a while, now, but you know what it's like to be new. Will you be Samen's student guide?" Their eyes met and the room filled with tension. I have never claimed to be psychic, but I could feel the heavily disguised hatred that passed between the two.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Alda," she said, polite but firm, "but I still don't know the school well enough to guide him." She looked around. "Perhaps Carolina would like to show him around?" The girl in question, a blond airhead, nodded emphatically. The look on her face as he sat down next to her was sickening.

"I think I'm gonna barf," I mumbled to Kiira. She didn't respond. "Kiira?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, it's disgusting," she replied absently. I could tell her mind was on something else.

"What's wrong, Kiira?" I asked, concerned. Worry was in her different-colored eyes and her eyebrows were knitted in concentration.

"Nothing." Her voice kept me from pressing it, but I knew there was something about the new student that bothered her. Someone from her old town, perhaps? I was determined to find out.

A few days later, I heard two voices in a disused classroom when I was passing by, so I stopped and listened. Kiira's voice and one that I couldn't place, though it sounded familiar, were talking. "The girls who sit at the back of the classroom have aalready fallen into his trap. Kayra is nice, but I can't say for sure if he's been affecting her." A pause, then she continued, bitterly, "Every day he wears white, and I'm still with the goths in the circle of outcasts. How can I warn them if they don't even listen to me? They'd trust handsome, popular Him over me any day… and yet I'm the one who's going to end up having to save them! Tell me what to do, Lady." My eyes widened. Lady? And why was Kiira talking about Samen with a stranger? The whole thing was starting to confuse me. The other voice said something I couldn't make out.

"I know, Lady. I'll think of something."

A third voice added, "Be careful." There was a whoosh, and I had to step away from the door so that Kiira wouldn't suspect me of eavesdropping.

Kiira walked out as I was 'innocently' 'just walking by' and I said, "Oh, hey Kiira. Why were you in there?"

She said, "I was meeting with someone."

I purposely jumped to the conclusion she wanted me to. "Mmmmm, is he tall, dark, handsome, or all three?" I asked.

"Heheh, more like tall, dark, and utterly gorgeous," she agreed. "He'll come out later, because he's not from this school."

"Like Miri?" I asked, in a your-point-is way. She started, and I wondered why. And why she had been talking about saving us from Samen. Sure, I didn't like him, but he wasn't evil. Or was he? He did have that coldness about him, like a cat luring a mouse with its eyes. Predatory. That was it. He was a predator. I wonder if Kiira had seen it too. "Kiira, want to come over to my house?" I asked suddenly. She brightened. "Sure! I've got something to do in the library first, but I'll meet you afterward."

"I'm in the library tonight, too. We'll walk out together."

"Alright."

(Replace with line break)

Kiira, who had been reading (and being amused by, for some reason) a Kingdom Hearts manga, put it down. "It's amazing the way artists can catch the semblance of life in a series of still pictures. Even more so how manga artists can communicate the personality of a character through the shape and style of the eye, revealing who they are and giving a hint as to their destiny without completely giving away their life story." It was an innocent comment, one I'd heard in various guises from many people, but somehow, I could hear more than that. The way she said made it seem like she was comparing, basing the artist's work with a real person in her mind. I knew that couldn't be true, but still, the feeling was hard to shake.

The moment was shattered by the Librarian's shout (and despite the fact that there is very little talking in the library, she shouts very loudly). "Library closes in five minutes!"

Kiira's eyes got wide as she checked her watch. "By the Lady, it's almost 3 o'clock!" she shouted. "I forgot to tell my dad that I was going home with you! He's probably very upset." She closed her eyes in a visible attempt to calm down. "OK. He probably hasn't sent out the search yet. He's probabl still waiting. Calm. Calm."

"Search?" I asked. "It's only been an hour since school let out," I said.

"He's very… paranoid," she said, in a voice that told me she wasn't telling the whole truth. Flipping out a cell phone, she left the library, with me close behind. Walking behind a locker, casually, she dialed. I listened carefully, but I didn't need to to hear the response to her calm, "Hi, Dad."

"WHERE WERE YOU?"

She laughe nervously. "I was in the library," she said. Evidently, he quieted down, because I only heard a pause before she replied, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Pause. "No, he's still keeping a low profile," she answered, quieter this time.

Pause. "Yeah, I'm keeping a watch out. The girl who's working with him is easy to read." She smiled. "Heck, I don't even have to read her to know what she's doing, she brags about him so much."

Pause. In a more serious tone, she said, "Yeah, he's already got her. I just hope he doesn't drag her into this."

Pause. "Listen, Dad, I have to go," she said. "Can I go over to Kayra's house this afternoon?" She smiled again, happily this time. "Thanks, Dad, you're the best. Gotta go now. Bye!" She hung up, then came toward me. "I can go!"

"Awesome," I exclaimed. Inside, though, I was wondering about the conversation. So Kiira's dad knew about her little plan, and evidently was in on it. Then something else hit me. When Kiira swore in the library, she had sworn, 'by the Lady.' The same Lady she had been talking to? I had to find out.


	3. Chapter 3: Hanging Out

A/N: roasts marshmallows over flame Hey guys! Hope you're liking Kiira so far. I got a review about Mary-Sue in my work, so I would like to say something about that. If you have something to say about a problem in my work, pleas, please, PLEASE give a specific example. Flames do nothing but annoy an author, and they don't tell us anything about what we need to fix. So instead of saying, "There's so many Mary-Sues here your fic sucks," say, "I think Kiira is a Mary Sue because….." It's a lot more helpful, and more likely to get something changed. However, if I give you a reason for the things you say are wrong, it's most likely that I'm putting something in on purpose. It's very likely that a character is a Mary-Sue on purpose: there are people like that in real life! Another thing is the fact that my fic supposedly has nothing to do with KH. Yes, it IS KH related. No, it's not obvious. There are, however, hints as to what's REALLY going on. For example, pay special attention to descriptions of the characters of Kiira and Samen, as well as Kiira's reactions to certain things. It's told from the point of view of a bystander who gets caught up in this mess and the war between light and darkness – Kayra is NOT going to know everything that's going on right away. Other than that, sorry for short chap, but I didn't really have more to say about the sleepover, even though it's extremely important to know of the things that happened there. Next one is extra-long to make up, though, and I promise the next A/N will be shorter. Well, sit back, enjoy the story, review, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

The trip to my house was a huge success. Kiira and I had a blast, doing everything that normal teenagers do. We competed at Sonic, I walked her through tough missions in Jak & Daxter, and most of all we watched movies. It was awesome sharing with her the movies and worlds that were so important to me, and she always had interesting comments to make. It was as if she had known the people who made the movie, or the characters themselves. It was amazing, the number of things she knew. There was an interesting incident when she met my mother though.

"Hey, Kayra, I'm home!" she called as she walked in. "I know you were going to ask your friend Kiira over, so I stopped at the Qwick-Mart to pick up some snacks." Walking in, she smiled. My mother, by the way, looks like some kind of angel visited on the earth. Her blond hair whispers in even the faintest breeze and her green eyes are always glowing with happiness. I'm a little jealous, to tell the truth. She certainly never had to deal with taunts about her looks. When Kiira stood up to shake her hand, she got a gook look at my mom. Her eyes widened slightly, then reached out a hand to my mother, who had a puzzled look on her face.

"Have I… met you before?" she asked my friend carefully, as if trying to remember something she had forgotten.

"Not that I know of, ma'am. You've probably just seen me around. I'm a pretty distinctive person," Kiira replied, just as carefully. Her eyes unfocused for a moment as they shook hands, but returned to their sharp attentiveness, slightly shocked, as soon as she dropped my mother's han. Taking the snacks she offered, she refused to speak of the matter again. Even when I asked her, she claimed she had no clue what I was talking about. We returned to what we were doing, and I shoved the matter to the back of my mind.

When we were watching Advent Children, something else came up. "Hey," I said, jokingly after Sephiroth came on screen. "You know, you do look a lot like Sephy. Maybe you two are related or something." Her eyes went wide with shock, and then anger hardened in them. "I'm nothing like the One-Winged Angel!" she cried, hurt in her voice.

"Hey, calm down, Kiira," I said, worried. "It was only a joke, I didn't really mean it seriously." I paused. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, calming considerably from her state of hurt. "Sorry," she said. "A lot of people in my hometown called me a demon," she explained. "It's kind of hard not to react to someone who seems to be implying the same thing."

I nodded. "Hey, why don't you stay the night? I''m sure your father wouldn't mind."Her smile brightened.

"Let me call him," she replied, and I smiled. After a brief conversation, she hung up. "All right, I can stay."

"Awesome! So, how about we re-watch that scene?"

Nodding, she said, "All right."

A/N: One more thing: No, I do not have anything to do with any of the companies that made the games and movies I've mentioned, though I do own every one of them (bought and paid for with my own money).


	4. Chapter 4: Revelation

A/N: Yay! Finally I'm back. Sorry it took so long to update but Christmas vacation - oh, sorry, that's not PC enough, let me try again - HOLIDAY vacation kept me away from the school computers (This fanfic is written entirely after school on my library computer). Also, sorry about the PC thing, I'm just annoyed because my science teacher is extremely PC and she's like, 'our school needs to change with the times, our mascot is wrong, we can't be Indians, blah blah blah' and we can't tell people we had a merry Christmas because Christmas isn't celebrated by everyone. I know some people may be offended at the fact that I'm against extreme PCness, but I feel it's unnecessary.

But hey, whatever floats your boat. You have the right to an opinion.

* * *

The next few weeks were hectic, with tests and clubs and everything, and nothing even remotely strange happened. Kiira and I were washed up in a wave of normality. It was comforting – but I had a feeling it was only the calm before the storm, a sort of weight on my shoulders that told me it wasn't going to last.

I hate it when I'm right.

After school one day, I had a club meeting and Kiira had to go home. I couldn't help feeling uneasy as I made my way to the classroom. Something was going to happen. I don't know how I knew, but I did. About halfway through the meeting, I heard something in the hallway, so I went to investigate. I certainly wasn't expecting what happened next.

As I entered the corridor, something knocked me over. When I managed to recover, I saw an army of creatures, swarming the hall. They were humanoid and black, made of what looked like darkness, and I couldn't believe my eyes. They couldn't be here! How could they? The Heartless didn't exist! I kept repeating that to myself as one of them saw me and they attacked. I tried to fend them off, but it was like hitting air. I needed a weapon – and the weapon I needed was nowhere near. The others saw the trouble and rushed to my aid, but the creatures knocked them backward with astonishing strength and speed.

A chilling cry came from around the corner, and I was sure I was done for, but then Kiira strode in, throwing off her trench coat, and I stared in shock at what I saw.

From her shoulders, two great wings unfurled, one white and pure as virgin snow, the other black and red, the wing of a dragon.

"Back to the shadows!" she cried, and a sword appeared in her hand. She fought the shadow-creatures, her blade slicing through them like they were nothing. The smaller ones fled, but one of the bigger ones attacked her from the side, driving the spike on its tail into her shoulder. With a scream of pain, she crumpled to her knees and a wave of shadow tore outward from her, decimating the remaining shadow-creatures and sending a searing wave through me. Somehow, I wasn't hurt, but Kiira collapsed, and the sword she had called disappeared. I realized she had saved our lives.

* * *

Kiira's POV

Slowly, my eyes opened, and I saw Kayra standing over me. "W-where am I?" I asked weakly. There was a first-aid kit on the table nearby, and I realized I was lying on a couch.

"My house," she replied. "You're hurt. Don't try to get up."

I laughed weakly. "Yeah, I kind of figured that out." It amused me, a little, that this was the exact opposite of most of the situations I'd been in. Usually, it was me applying the antiseptic and gauze, and the overconfident hero/person in need of guidance laying on the couch, bed, etc, thinking about how stupid a move that was.

"That was amazing," she said.

"Yeah," I replied, and let sleep take me again.

* * *

Kayra POV

She closed her eyes and her breathing became regular and even again, and I focused on my work once more. I looked at the wound, and grimaced. I didn't like the look of that black ring around the cut. I washed it again and put more antiseptic on, and this time the ring began to fade. Strange. Most infections didn't go away that fast. More weirdness, I guessed. I put a layer of gauze over the wound and wrapped it tight. It's at times like these when I'm really glad I took that first aid class in middle school, I thought to myself. The wound taken care of, I sat back and looked at the girl who was my friend.

I had never expected her to be anything more than she appeared, and suddenly many of her comments made more sense. 'I'm a physical reminder of the darkness in our past,' she had said, that first day. Now I understood. She didn't come from a regular island town, but from a place with secrets and heroes. Something about that bugged me, a connection that my subconscious made before my mind could figure it out. This whole business changed my perspective – and more was about to rock my worldview entirely.

* * *

Later that day Kiira woke up again. "Welcome back to world of the living," I commented. She smiled.

"How long have I been out?" she asked.

"Including or not including the time before you woke up the first time?"

"Including."

"You've been here a day and half. It's Saturday," I added thoughtfully.

"Saturday?!" she exclaimed. "My dad's probably worried sick!"

"Don't worry, I called him and told him what happened – you were brave in fighting off those creatures." At her puzzled look, I said, "Your cell phone was in your pocket. I called your dad's number from your address book."

"Why did you tell him what happened?" she asked, more curiously suspicious than anything.

I blushed. "I listened in on your phone conversation in the library. I heard you talking to him about keeping a watch out about Samen and realized you weren't everything you said you were – and that whatever you were doing, he was in on it. I also guessed that your saving us from those creatures was part of it – so I called your dad."

She sighed. "I didn't think I could keep it a secret from you forever. Still, I didn't think you'd figure out as much as you did on your own – or this soon." She paused for a minute, frowning thoughtfully. "You're observant. Did you get a good look at the creatures that attacked the school?" It was my turn to give her a puzzled look. "When you're fighting for you life, and the lives of others, you tend not to think very much about any more than, 'How do I kill it?'" she said, slightly embarrassed. I nodded.

"They were black, made entirely out of shadow. Hitting them was like trying to hit the air. But you already knew that," I said, and she nodded. "They were humanoid, with no face but glowing yellow eyes. Their hands had huge claws… look, would an artist's rendering work? They're hard to describe."

"Actually, that would be better," she replied. Nodding, I went to get my sketchbook.

Sitting down, I drew the basic shape, sketching from memory. "They had these huge antennae," I continued, describing as I sketched, "like horns or something. And tails, that ended in huge barbs. That's what stabbed you." Kiira turned pale. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Like Neoshadows," she whispered, "with draconic blood. Like Heartless, but more evil than any Heartless ever created."

"Yes," I said. She seemed to be reciting from something, like someone retelling a fairytale, or a theorem from school. "Kiira, what is it?" I put the sketchbook down, going to her side.

"They're here," she said. "He must want this place badly to send them in so soon. Listen," she added hurriedly, "what did the wound look like?" She seemed frantic.

"There was a dark ring around it," I said, and fear showed clearly on her face. "It's gone," I added, rushed. "I managed to clean it, I thought it was an infection, so I cleaned it and it disappeared."

"But that's impossible!" she cried. "Only the strongest are able to remove the Taint the Shadows spread!" Her expression was pure shock as she rose to her feet. Calming herself, she looked in my eyes. "You saved me from a worse fate than you can imagine," she said. "I owe you an explanation." She thought for a moment. "This is best explained at my house. Would you like to find out what it's like to fly?" she asked. My eyes went wide. Flight was a long-sought dream for me. I nodded, and she said, "Meet me outside."

I exited through the back door, and she took my hand. "Whatever you do, don't let go." All of a sudden, we were up, flying! It was amazing. "It shouldn't take too long to get there," she shouted over the wind. "It's not all that far."

* * *

After landing about ten minutes later, we entered her house. She led me to her room, which was large and open, filled with strange objects, displayed on shelves along with fanjects, paraphernalia from different games and anime. She walked around her room, trench coat once again hiding her beautiful wings, touching each piece, lovingly, eyes filling up with memory. A deep green stone, a charm shaped like an ancient oil lamp, a bit of bone carved to look like a lion. Small trinkets decorated the shelves, joined by books of all kinds. Posters and drawings adorned the walls, but there was a picture, sitting by itself. She stopped in front of it. It depicted a young man, smiling and friendly, with silver hair and bright blue eyes the color of ice. He wore a yellow shirt, and over his shoulder was slung a strange weapon. The blade was in the shape of a dark wing, red and black and terrible, with a hooked tip becoming a white wing, pure and untouched. A great blue stone decorated the hilt, and the guard was a pair of opposite-facing wings, one dark and one light, curving protectively around his hand.

Kiira's strange eyes grew soft as she took it off its shelf, where it stood alone, and she gazed at it for a moment.

"This," she said simply, "is my father."


	5. Chapter 5: Explanations

A/N: Hey everyone, this is Faer again. Thanks to Black Scepter for reviewing! I hope you all like this next chapter. This is where everything comes together. The worlds are about to be explained. Plot is being set up. Get ready for the ride!

* * *

"This," she said, "is my father."

I stared at her as it hit me. Just a single sentence, really, but for me it shook the earth and sky as my worldview came tumbling down. Words and phrases kept flashing through my mind, and I realized what my brain had been trying to tell me. I should have guessed! But it was so impossible, so amazing, that I never would have guessed its reality. In fact, I was so shaken by it, that I said the first thing that came to mind:

"This has _got _to be some kind of joke!" Then I laughed at myself. When it was Heartless and wings and magic swords and taints, I never doubted it. But when it came to the fact that my best friend was the daughter of a great hero, I don't believe it?

Get a life, Kayra.

She looked at me sadly, smiling. "It's true, I'm afraid. My big secret." Looking at the ground, she said quietly, "Do you hate me for it?"

I really did laugh then. "Are you _crazy?_" I asked, nearly shouting. "I've been waiting for something like this to happen my entire life! The Heartless, or, well, Shadows, or whatever, invade my world, you save my _life_ – by throwing yourself into harm's way, by the way – and you're worried that I'm some evil-Riku maniac who thinks you're evil because of who your father is?" I laughed again, and her eyes lit up.

"I guess when you put it that way…" she said. We both started laughing, then, and she smiled. "Would you like to meet my father?" she asked.

"_Me?_ Meet _him?_" I pointed at the photo. "Why would he want to talk to someone like me?"

"I think you're going more on reputation than reality. Come on," she added, pulling me along. "He wants to meet you."

"He does?"

She nodded. "Dad!" she called. "I'm home!" There was laughter from another room.

"I could sort of tell," he called back. "Something to do with the shouts of surprise coming from your room." We walked out into the hall, and I came face-to-face with the man who had been my hero since I first heard of Kingdom Hearts.

He didn't look too different from the way he did when he was younger, with long silver hair and ice-blue eyes, but he was taller, and somehow he carried with him an air of power. Not really authority power, like Miri, but a calm quiet, something that told you he was more than the tall, quiet man that most people saw. It was a waiting, an insistence in the air, an aura that had to do with the way he held himself and the way he moved. He was confident, and behind those eyes was harsh experience. This man had tangled with evil, dealt with the forces of darkness, and come out the other side, changed, but alive. There was something about him that demanded respect.

He had the build of an athlete – no surprise there – and he moved like a cat.

"Hello," he said to me. "You must be Kayra."

His voice was smooth, but it was welcoming so I held out a hand and replied, "That's right. It's an honor to meet you, sir."

He took my hand and shook it. "Likewise," he said. "Would you like to sit down? We have a lot to discuss, judging by what you told me on the phone, and you'll probably want a full explanation. I nodded, feeling a bit dazed, and we sat down at the kitchen table. Then he began to speak.

"From what Kiira told me, you already know a lot about what happened in the past, so I'll skip that story.

"Soon after Sora and I returned to the island, we received a message from the King, explaining of an organization he knew of who wanted to speak with us. The leader would be arriving shortly to explain everything. Some time later, she was waiting for us on the islet. She said we deserved an explanation.

"She explained that the Xehanort we had fought was actually an ancient evil, sealed away, who had been released and found by Ansem. She and her organization, the Travelers, kept a close eye on him, because although he had no memory of what he had done, he still had amazing power. He fell again into madness, and so brought about the disaster that linked the worlds. We knew the rest.

"She also said that she was impressed with our abilities, and then she offered us a job. Along with the Hero status we already had, it turned out we had the ability to use what she called 'Traveler Magic,' or the ability to manipulate the Field of energy around us, which was why we could use magic in all worlds. Any who had this gift could become Travelers, guardians who protect all worlds, not just the world they come from. She laughed, and said we had done a good job already. We agreed, and she looked pleased. She said to watch for messages by see, and then vanished.

"A few days later, she approached us again, and asked us to swear an oath, to declare our allegiance as Travelers. To do so, we would have to come to her base. When we agreed, she nodded, and suddenly, instead of the island, we were in a deserted corner of a city. Sora and I recognized it:

"It was Hollow Bastion."

He paused, then, taking a drink from a large cup of juice, then continued.

She led us through the streets on a winding path I won't describe in detail – it is information I cannot disclose – until we reached a small building that seemed to blend into the town wall. We entered, and walked through, into a section of the city I'd never seen before. There were many people, training and talking. She said that they were all Travelers, working to protect the world. She led me into another building, with a large pedestal in the center and seats in long rows on either side. It reminded me of a court without the stands. Several figures sat in the long seats, some of them with visible faces, others wearing long hoods. She brought us up to the stand, and made us swear to serve the Travelers, to protect the balance of light and darkness, and always protect the innocent. Then she did something I couldn't follow, and a wave of power ran through me. I don't know what it did, but it made me feel stronger, better. I have served the Travelers ever since."

He looked down, finished. "So," Kiira asked. "Any questions?"

I nearly laughed. Questions? Thousands. I started with the basics. "What were those things that attacked us? They looked like Heartless, but they were larger and more… evil, somehow."

Kiira nodded, and Riku looked grave. "They were what we call Shadows. They serve Menas, the being who is Xehanort's soul. He made a deal with Evil itself, and became Darkness. He can control the Heartless, but his own breed are cruel and intelligent. They kill without mercy, and their blades carry a poison that, unless cleansed, will cause painful death and eventual transformation into a Shadow in forty-eight hours."

Looking at me, Kiira said, "That's the fate you saved me from when you cleaned my wound, Kayra."

My eyes widened, and I nodded. "Scary."

Riku seemed surprised at the news, but he stayed completely calm.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

Riku smiled. "The Lady sent us here. She seemed to think that there was a reason Menas would attack, and evidently, she was right." He sighed. "I stopped questioning her years ago." Then his eyes became serious again. "If Menas sent the Shadows this soon, that must mean there's something here he either wants… or wants dead."

Kiira nodded. "If there were a new Traveler here, one who was powerful enough to pose as a threat to him, he would send them." Somehow, I got the feeling they weren't telling me everything, but I decided not to push them. I was still in shock, and learning what they weren't telling me probably wouldn't help me repair my worldview. Worldsview. Whatever.

* * *

My walk home was a long one, and my mind was full as I thought over everything that they had told me. Travelers, heroes… It was mind-blowing. They had told me about how every world expresses itself through a central world, and alternate worlds were all around it. My world was alternate. I didn't know how to deal with the fact of a multiversal world. This was like something you find in fanfiction, not real life! _I have to calm down,_ I thought. _Panicking won't help anyone._

I reached home just before dark, and my mom was waiting for me. "You're late," she said. I nodded.

"Kiira and I had some stuff to talk about," I said.

My mother frowned. "Kiira? The girl you invited over for that sleepover?" she asked. I nodded, and she frowned deeper. "There's something about that girl that makes me nervous," she said. "I don't want to tell you who to be friends with, but I want you to be careful around her. I know you helped her with that injury, but who knows where she got it?" After a short pause, she added, "And no going to her house without another friend going with you – there's no telling _what_ her family is like."

"But mooooom…"

"No buts!" she said, and I could tell she was serious. I sighed and nodded. Mom relaxed, and I headed into my room. I sighed. How could I go over to her house with a friend? Everyone I know would have gotten the same shock I had. I had another one of those sinking feelings in my stomach, a feeling that I had learned to listen to – something was about to happen. I needed some serious rest, though, and as I collapsed into blissful sleep, all worry was forgotten.


	6. Chapter 6: Fights

On Monday, all was normal, and I began to wonder about the accuracy of my hunch. Nothing was wrong, everything was absolutely fine.

Too fine.

I was uneasy all day, a result of my nerves and the excitement of the day before. The next few days were more of the same, but sill, the feeling remained. One thing I did notice, though, was that the number of fights in he school was increasing. Things were starting to get out of hand. The principal came on our school news program and addressed the class about it. Cheerleaders were starting to steal, things were being broken on a daily basis, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before something worse happened.

Have I mentioned before that I hate it when I'm right?

* * *

A fight broke out in the lunchroom around me. Insults flew, and I listened closely to the mudslinging for clues as to the reason.

Two girls were fighting over some boy, I guess. One of them was his girlfriend, the other was just some friend of his.

"I heard from a reliable source that you are chasing after _my_ boyfriend!"

"Oh? This is one of those girls on the gossip chain who tells you every other 'reliable' thing you've ever passed on?" the other girl quipped sarcastically.

"He's way too good for you!" she screeched, grabbing at the other girl. "You'll never have him!"

It crossed my mind that maybe she should be confronting the boyfriend about this, not another girl.

"How could you say that?" asked the other girl, backing away. "You and him have been together since seventh grade! Why would I interfere with that?"

"You want him for yourself, bitch!"

"Knock it OFF!" The other girl pushed her away forcefully.

"You're ON, bitch!" She threw a punch, knocking the other girl to the floor, sitting on top of her and trying for her throat. The other girl scratched at her face and hands, trying to claw her way out of her hold. _Where's the security guard?_ I thought frantically. I jumped in, trying to pull the crazed girlfriend away. Two of her friends had snapped out of the trance they were in and came to help me. Together, the three of us managed to pull her hands away from the other's throat, and Kiira rushed to the girl's side, helping her up and making sure she wa all right. I noticed she did so with all the precision of someone trained to act in emergencies.

Security finally showed up and took the girlfriend away. I sighed, shaking my head. Kiira walked over to me.

"Why didn't they show up sooner?" she asked. "That was at least a minute or two. Why did you have to come pull her off?"

I shook my head again. "I don't know. It just… happened."

Softly, on the edge of my hearing, so low I couldn't even be sure I heard it, I heard a chuckle. Looking around, I saw Samen leaning against the wall. When our eyes locked, I had a sick feeling in my gut.

He smiled. "Hi, Kayra," he said in his soft, low voice, and I could feel a shiver run down my spine. His eyes spoke to me, called me, but I could see the cold fire in their depths and I resisted. The pull stopped. He looked puzzled briefly, then said, "Good fight. Didn't realize there'd be so much action here when I transferred. I can't wait to see what happens next. Right, Kiira?" he asked, turning to my friend, another smile on his lips.

"Bastard!" she said. He tisked at her.

"Temper, Kiira," he said. "I have no clue why you're insulting me. You'd better watch out, before you catch this violence bug that's going around the school." Kiira's eyes widened in shock, then she returned to her usual cool demeanor.

"Of course," she said coolly, but he was already leaving, laughing softly, and I realized it had been him, chuckling after the fight.

"Who is he?" I asked, completely freaked out by now. I could see Kiira weighing all the possible answers.

"An enemy," she said, then walked away.

* * *

That Saturday, Kiira and I met in the park for practice. "You need training, just in case we ever have to fight." I heard the 'I hope not' in her voice, but I also knew that she knew a fight was inevitable. So we practiced.

We both wielded foam swords I had bought at a Ren Faire the previous summer. They weren't great weapons, but they worked.

She charged me, thrusting at my gut. I parried, then slashed at her while her sword was out of the way. She hit me in the arm and side while my weapon was occupied. "Wide open!" she barked. "Moves like that only work if you're faster than your opponent – don't use them unless you're sure. Let me demonstrate a better move. Charge me."

I copied her move. She stepped aside, then caught me in the back as I ran past her. "Heartless are fast, but generally stupid. A trick like that works easily. Now, try it."

It went like that for two or three grueling hours of techniques, exercise, and orders. Kiira was a good teacher, but she was also demanding. Finally, we stopped, and sat down next to each other on the grass.

"Where did you learn to shout like that?" I asked, panting.

She smiled. "Same place I learned how to fight – my dad, and the teachers at the Traveler training academy." She smiled. "My martial teacher was a tall, thin woman named Stala, who reminded me of nothing more than a falcon – and I swear she had X-ray vision, because she picked up on every mistake, even if you were at the opposite end of the training room." She laughed. "Nevertheless, she was my favorite teacher."

"Wow," I sighed, looking up at the sky. "I wish I went to a school like that."

"No, trust me, you don't. Unless you want to go home tired to the bone every day and _still_ have to do homework, chores, and anything else you want to do." She sighed. "It's draining – but it's just an example of what a hard life we can be expected to lead once we become full Travelers."

"Must be really tough," I said. I turned to her, a little bummed. "My mom says she doesn't like me being around you. Says she makes you nervous, and I can't go over to your house without another friend." I smiled a little. "She thinks that your family might be kidnappers or perverts or something."

She laughed a little at the thought, then sighed, looking down at the ground. "A lot of people reacted that way to me back home. Especially people who are receptive to energy."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I have a dark aura. I know that sounds weird, but because of who I am, I radiate darkness. Travelers like me are often called Ravens, because we are protectors of darkness, rather than true _light._" She sighed. "People who are receptive to auras and things like that tend to feel uncomfortable or creepy around me."

"I don't feel creepy around you."

She really laughed then. "You're just really used to them. I mean, have you _looked_ at your friends lately? You could be part of a fashion magazine for dark and rebellious people."

"What does that have to do with it?" I asked, a little miffed.

"People like that tend to have darker auras. That's why a lot of people feel uncomfortable around them, although in places like this it's usually blamed on the clothes."

"That explains a lot," I said, laughing. "Hey, Kiira?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you… have to leave, once all this is over?"

Her face fell. "Maybe. Only the Lady would be able to tell you that, and she's not here right now. It could be I'm assigned to this world, to protect it, or I could be assigned another duty."

"I hope you get to stay," I said.

She smiled. "Yeah. Me too."

* * *

After we left the park, we went to go see a movie. We both loved it, although Kiira said she figured out the plot. I told her that that was because she had seen a lot more stories unfold than I had, and we both laughed. We just ran around town, doing stuff, taking pictures, meeting up with friends along the way. For a while, life was good, and normal. When I got home, I was happy. I pulled out a CD, stuffed it in my player, and lay back on my bed, letting the beat of the drums and the rhythm of the guitar carry me away, and for the first time in a long time, I just forgot everything, and listened.

* * *

A/N: Hello, y'all! Finally, Kiira is updated, and the inspiration is flowing. A little bitter in spots, but it was a lot of fun to write. I know the whole aura thing is a bit cheesy, but I couldn't think of any other way to put hat I was trying to say… Hope you guys liked the chap, and there'll be more soon!

Oh, yeah, Kiira's sword teacher was named after a similar character in a book. If anyone can tell me what book it was, they get a brownie. Yay! Don't forget to review.

Thanks y'all,  
Faer

PS: Y'all remember to review, now! Nothin' warms an author's heart lahk a big ol' nice review. Peace, y'all!


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